A Conceptual Framework for Measuring Ecological Novelty

ABSTRACT Background Human pressures are driving the emergence of unprecedented, ‘novel’, ecological and environmental systems. The concept of novel (eco)systems is well accepted by the scientific community, but the use and measurement of novelty has outgrown initial definitions and critiques. There are still unresolved methodological and conceptual differences in quantifying novelty that prevent a unified research approach. Framework Here we present a conceptual framework and guidelines to unify past and future measurement of ecological novelty. Under this framework, novelty is a property of an ecological or environmental entity of interest. Novelty is quantified as the comparison between the target entity and a reference set, measured as the summary of degrees of difference across one or more dimensions. Choices in these components, particularly the reference set, can change resulting novelty measurements and inferences. Showcase We provide a case‐study to showcase our framework, measuring pre‐ and post‐European novelty in 99 pollen assemblages in Midwest USA forests. We paired this quantitative exploration with a five‐step process designed to improve the utility and outcomes of novelty analyses. Conclusions Quantitative novelty has immense value in studies of abrupt ecological change, linking climatic and ecological change, biotic interactions and invasions, species range shifts and fundamental theories. Our framework offers a unified overview and is also primed for integration into management and restoration workflows, providing consistent and robust measurements of novelty to support decision making, priority setting and resource allocation.

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Publication Details

Journal
Global Ecology and Biogeography
Published
2025-02-01
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1111/geb.70005
Citations
3
Primary Topic
Ecosystem dynamics and resilience
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
3.32

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article

A Conceptual Framework for Measuring Ecological Novelty

María Dornelas, Jansen A. Smith, Anne E. Magurran, Jessica L. Blois et al.
3 citations
Global Ecology and Biogeography
Ecosystem dynamics and resilience
3.32
article

A Conceptual Framework for Measuring Ecological Novelty

María Dornelas, Jansen A. Smith, Anne E. Magurran, Jessica L. Blois, Amelia Penny, John M. Pandolfi, John W. Williams, Tina Heger, Aaron O’Dea, Simon Haberle, Katie L. Cramer, Emer T. Cunningham, Timothy L. Staples, Wilfried Thuiller, Volker C. Radeloff, Wolfgang Kiessling
article en
3 citations

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background Human pressures are driving the emergence of unprecedented, ‘novel’, ecological and environmental systems. The concept of novel (eco)systems is well accepted by the scientific community, but the use and measurement of novelty has outgrown initial definitions and critiques. There are still unresolved methodological and conceptual differences in quantifying novelty that prevent a unified research approach. Framework Here we present a conceptual framework and guidelines to unify past and future measurement of ecological novelty. Under this framework, novelty is a property of an ecological or environmental entity of interest. Novelty is quantified as the comparison between the target entity and a reference set, measured as the summary of degrees of difference across one or more dimensions. Choices in these components, particularly the reference set, can change resulting novelty measurements and inferences. Showcase We provide a case‐study to showcase our framework, measuring pre‐ and post‐European novelty in 99 pollen assemblages in Midwest USA forests. We paired this quantitative exploration with a five‐step process designed to improve the utility and outcomes of novelty analyses. Conclusions Quantitative novelty has immense value in studies of abrupt ecological change, linking climatic and ecological change, biotic interactions and invasions, species range shifts and fundamental theories. Our framework offers a unified overview and is also primed for integration into management and restoration workflows, providing consistent and robust measurements of novelty to support decision making, priority setting and resource allocation.

Global Ecology and BiogeographyVol. 34(2)
Australian National University (AU), Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (PA), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR), University of Wisconsin–Madison (US), University of Lisbon (PT), University of California, Merced (US), The University of Queensland (AU), University of St Andrews (GB), Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (DE), University of Minnesota, Duluth (US), Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (DE), Berlin Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (DE), Secretaría Nacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación (PA), Laboratoire d'Écologie Alpine (FR), Arizona State University (US), Technical University of Munich (DE), Université Savoie Mont Blanc (FR), Université Grenoble Alpes (FR), University of Edinburgh (GB)
National Science Foundation, Leverhulme Trust, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Volkswagen Foundation, University of Queensland, Australian Research Council
Openalex Percentile: Top 10%
Ecosystem dynamics and resilience
3.32
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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